Fallout 4 Save Editor — SPECIAL, Items & Caps

Last verified: 2026-10-01

Save file to edit

%USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves\<slot>.fos

Fallout 4 PC saves are .fos files in %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves. The .fos is a block-type binary container (header, screenshot, change-forms, Papyrus script data), so you don't hand-edit it in Notepad. There are two real routes. (1) For SPECIAL, level, caps, carry weight and adding items, the in-game console on PC is the cleanest editor of all - it changes live data and the next save writes it normally, with no file to corrupt. (2) For things the console can't fix - a save bloated or broken by removed mods - a save tool is the right call: FO4Edit-style save cleaners and the FO4 Save Cleaner remove orphaned change-forms (REFR, NPC_, ARMO, WEAP) and dead Papyrus script instances, while the Fallout 4 Save Tool parses the whole block structure and metadata (player name, embedded screenshot). On Xbox/PS4 where there is no console, a console-save editor like the PipBoy-Edition tool edits player stats, SPECIAL and inventory directly in the .fos. The biggest gotcha is mods: most 'corrupt save' cases are a mid-playthrough mod removal leaving change-forms the save still references - clean those rather than brute-force editing values.

Fallout 4 saves are .fos files with a block-type structure, so a save editor parses the blocks for you rather than you hex-editing by hand - and for most stat edits the in-game console is actually the cleaner tool.

What you can edit and which tag to change

What it changes	XML tag	Example value	Notes
SPECIAL stats	`player attribute`	`Set Strength to 10`	On PC, console `player.setav strength 10` is cleaner than file editing; console tools do the same on Xbox/PS4.
Level / XP	`player progress`	`Add a level`	Raising level via console grants perk points normally. Forcing level in a file skips the perk-point grant unless the tool handles it.
Caps	`currency item count`	`Add 99999 caps`	Caps are an inventory item (`player.additem f 99999` on PC). Console-save editors expose a direct caps field.
Inventory / items	`item form-ID + count`	`Add Fat Man + mini nukes`	Items need valid form-IDs (base-game or a loaded mod). An unknown ID is ignored; a mod item without the mod loaded is dropped.
Carry weight	`player stat`	`Carry weight -> 99999`	`player.setav carryweight 99999` live, or a stat field in a console-save editor. Avoids the over-encumbered slow walk.
Orphaned change-forms / scripts	`save-cleaner operation`	`Strip removed-mod REFR/NPC_ forms`	The real fix for a mod-broken save: FO4 Save Cleaner removes change-forms and Papyrus instances referencing deleted mods.

How to edit your Fallout 4 save by hand

Fully quit Fallout 4 and, if you use Steam Cloud, pause it (Steam -> Fallout 4 -> Properties -> turn off Cloud) so it can't overwrite your edit.
Open %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves and copy the .fos (and its .f4se co-save if present) somewhere safe as a backup.
For stats/caps/items on PC: load the save, open the console (~), run commands like `player.setav`, `player.additem` or `player.setlevel`, then make a fresh save.
For a mod-broken save: run the FO4 Save Cleaner / FO4Edit save cleaning on the .fos backup copy to strip orphaned change-forms and dead Papyrus instances.
On Xbox/PS4: use a console-save editor (PipBoy-Edition style) to edit SPECIAL, level, caps and inventory directly in the .fos, then copy it back.
Relaunch and load. If an edited/cleaned save misbehaves, restore the backup - the original .fos is untouched.

Prefer a save editor instead of raw XML?

Fallout 4 is unusual: the in-game PC console is a better 'save editor' than any file tool for stats, caps and items, because it writes through the game and never corrupts the .fos. File tools earn their keep for the opposite problem - cleaning a save that mods have bloated or broken. Keep the .f4se co-save next to the .fos or script-extender data can desync.

Mistakes that corrupt the save

Most 'corrupt Fallout 4 save' cases are a mid-playthrough mod removal leaving change-forms the save still references - clean, don't brute-edit.
The .fos has a paired .f4se co-save when you use the script extender; copy/edit them together or scripts desync.
Adding a mod item's form-ID without that mod loaded drops the item silently on load.
Steam Cloud can restore the pre-edit save if you leave it enabled during the edit.
A game or F4SE update can change what a save tool expects - match the tool version to your build.

Not sure where the file is? See the full Fallout 4 save file location guide (every platform path), or the corrupted-save recovery guide if an edit broke your file.

FAQ

Where are Fallout 4 save files on PC?

They're .fos files in %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\Saves. Press Win+R and paste the path. Script-extender users also have a paired .f4se co-save beside each .fos.

Can I edit a Fallout 4 .fos in Notepad?

No - it's a block-type binary save. Use the in-game console on PC for stats and items, a console-save editor on Xbox/PS4, or a save cleaner to fix a mod-broken .fos.

What's the cleanest way to add caps or set SPECIAL?

On PC, the console: `player.additem f 99999` for caps and `player.setav strength 10` for SPECIAL. It writes through the game, so the save file is never corrupted.

My save broke after removing a mod - do I edit values?

No. Run a save cleaner (FO4 Save Cleaner / FO4Edit) on a copy to remove the orphaned change-forms and Papyrus script instances the save still references from the deleted mod.

Other games

Need another game or a quick backup? Use the Save Location Finder — pick any game to get its exact save path plus a ready-to-run backup command.